Mail and newspaper box.



J. M. LENTZ.

MAIL AND NEWSPAPER BOX. APPLICATION FILED AUG. 10, 1908.

Patented Aug. 17, 1909.

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UNITED sTATns GPATENT OFFICE.

JOSEPH M. LENTZ, OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA, ASS IGNOR TO HARRY FAHNESTOGK,

7 OF HARRISBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

MAIL AND NEWSPAPER' BOX.

To all whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, JosEPI-I M. LENTZ, a citizen of the United States, residing at Harrisburg, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Mail and Newspaper Boxes, of which the following is'a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to improvements in boxes or receptacles for use at the front doors of dwellings to receive mail and newspapers.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and practical device of this character which will effectively protect the newspapers and mail from being blown away and injured or damaged by rain or snow, and which will be closed by the house door so that when the latter is opened the contents of the box may be easily removed.

\Vith the above and other objects in view, the invention consists of the novel features of construction and the combination and arrangement of devices hereinafter fully.

described and claimed, and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a perspective view of a door illustrating the use of my improved mail and newspaper box; Fig. 2 is an enlarged perspective view of the box looking toward its open side which is closed by the house door; Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view; and Fig. 1 is a horizontal section taken on the, plane indicated by the line H in Fig. 3.

My invention comprises a body 1 containing two compartments 2, 3, the former for newspapers, magazines, packages and the like, and the latter for letters and other first class mail matter. The body 1 is preferably of rectangular form and has a back or base portion at adapted to be secured to one side of the door frame upon the outer side of and close to the door so that the latter will close the adjacent openside face of the two compartments 2, 3. The newspaper compartment 2 is considerably larger than the mail compartment 3 and it is formed with said open side, an open bottom, a closed side 5, closed top 6, closed front 7, and the back formed by the base 1. The parts 4, 5, and 7 are preferably formed from a single sheet of metal when the device is constructed from tin or sheet metal. The base 4 has at its Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 10, 1908.

Patented Aug, 1'7, 1909.

Serial No. 447,846.

top an apertured attaching ear 8 and its lower end 9 is extended beyond the open bottom of the compartment 2 and apertured to receive a fastening screw or the like. The

lower corner 'of the compartment 2 is strengthened by a cross piece or brace 10 arranged between the parts 4, 7. The open bottom'of the compartment 2 is closed by a swinging door 11 which is hingedly connected to the extension 9 of the base or back 4: by having a portion of its bottom edge bent to provide an eye 12 which surrounds a U-shaped pintle wire 13 arranged upon the said extension 9. A stop projection or flange 14 is arranged upon the inner or upper face of the door 11 to engage the back 4 and limit the upward movement of said door so that it will be sure to drop by gravity to its closed position when not held up by newspapers or the like inserted in the compartment 2 through said open bottom. The downward movement of said door 11 is limited by a projecting ledge 15 formed by the extended bottom 17 of the mail compartment 3. The latter has a closed front 18, a closed side 19, a back formed by the front 7 of the compartment 2 and an open top closed by a swinging door or lid 20.

hen the box is constructed of sheet metal, the parts 17, 18, 19 are preferably formed from a single piece which is cut, bent and soldered to the part 7 as shown. The upper edge of the front 18 of the compartment 3 is bent or inclined inwardly as shown at 21 so as to form a seat for the outer edge of the lid 20 which edge is slightly outturned so that it may be readily grasped to lift the lid. The upper or inner edge of said lid is bent to provide an eye which receives a transverse pivot wire 23 arranged upon the front 7 of the compartment 2 at a suitable distance from its top. This construction permits a space at the upper portion of the front 7 for the house number or name, and a space upon the front 18 ofthe compartment 3 for the words U. S. Mail, or any other information or advertising matter. The house number and any other matter painted upon the exterior of the box may be painted with phosphorescent paint so that it can be readily read at night without the need of striking a match or using artificial light.

The use of the invention will be readily seen upon reference to Fig. 1 in which the box or receptacle is shown applied to a door per compartment 2 can be had only through its open bottom and to the mail compartment 3 through its open top. It will be seen that the letters or other first class mail matter may be readily dropped into the compartment 3. The letters may be conveniently removed when the house door is opened to uncover the open side face of said bottom.

Newspapers and large parcels of mail matter may be readily inserted in the compartment 2 by forcing the same upwardly through its open bottom and they will be frictionally retained therein so that they will be effectively protected from the weather and from being blown away.

From the foregoing it will be seen that my invention is exceedingly simple in construction so that it may be produced at a small cost; and it will be further noted that it is exceedingly convenient since access to its compartments may be readily had as soon as the house door is opened, thereby dispensing with the necessity of a lock upon the mail box.

Having thus described my invention what I claim is:

1. The herein described combined mail and newspaper box comprising a body adapted to be secured to a door frame and to be closed by the door, said body having a rectangular box forming a large compartment for newspapers andprovided with an open side adapted to be closed by the door and an open bottom, means for attaching the box to the door frame, said body being also provided with a small compartment for mail matter, said compartment being formed by a metal plate bent to form the front wall 18, the bottom wall 17 and the side wall 19 of said small compartment, the latter having an open side closed by the door and an open top partially closed by the inwardly bent upper edge 21 of the front wall 18, the side wall 19 and bottom wall 17 of the small compartment being secured to the front wall of the large com part-ment, and said bottom 17 having its inner edge extended rearwardly beyond the bottom edge of the front wall of the large compartment to provide the supporting ledge 15, an upwardly and inwardly swinging closure for the open bottom of the large compartment pivoted to the rear wall of the large compartment and adapted to rest upon said supporting ledge, and a swinging closure for the open top of the small compartment pivoted to the front wall of the large compartment and adapted to rest upon the bent upper edge 21 of the wall 18.

2. The herein described combined mail and newspaper box comprising a body adapted to be secured to a door frame and to be closed by the door, said body having a rec tangular box forming a large compartment for newspapers and provided with an open side adapted to be closed by the door and an open bottom, means for attaching the box to the door frame, a brace strip 10 between the front and rear walls of the large compartment at its lower and inner corner, said body being also provided with a small compartment for mail matter, said compartment being formed by a metal plate bent to form the front wall 18, the bottom wall 17 and the side wall 19 of said small compartment, the latter having an open side closed by the door and an open top partially closed by the inwardly bent upper edge 21 of the front wall 18, the side wall 19 and bottom wall 17 of the small compartment being secured to the front wall of the large compartment, and said bottom 17 having its inner edge extended rearwardly beyond the bottom edge of the front wall of the large compartment to provide the supporting ledge 15, an upwardly and inwardly swinging closure for the open bottom of the large compartment pivoted to the rear wall of the large compartment and adapted to rest upon said supporting ledge, a stop projection upon the upper face of said swinging closure to engage the rear wall of the large compartment and limit the opening movement of said closure, a spring for forcing said closure downwardly to its closed position, a brace between the front walls of the two compartments adjacent to the upper and inner corner of the small compartment, and a swinging closure for the open top of the small compartment pivoted to the front wall of the large compartment and adapted to rest upon the bent upper edge 21 of the wall 18.

In testimony whereof I hereunto affix my signature in thepresence of two witnesses.

JOSEPH M. LENTZ. Witnesses: V

GEORGE B. Hess, CHARLES T. LAMPAS. 

